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ABB Robotics Partners with Vincennes University

Industrial robots supplier ABB Robotics has partnered with Vincennes University (VU) to enhance the Indiana college’s vocational and technical robotic training -- and to provide ABB with an authorized training facility in the central Midwest.

VU offers a two-year associate degree in computer integrated manufacturing and robotics, and many robotic training courses in its workforce development program.

Under the agreement, 29 ABB robots and related work cells, software and controllers will be installed into VU’s newly opened $9 million industrial training facility, the Indiana Center for Applied Technology (ICAT).

In a release, VU President Dick Helton noted that they have been at the forefront of advanced manufacturing education and training for many years and are excited about their new relationship with ABB.

Helton said that ABB understands their educational goals, have helped them shape the vision for enhancing their programs and made the ICAT one of the finest facilities of its kind in the nation.

The ICAT will be equipped with a full range of industrial robots and related peripherals, allowing students to gain training in various applications including robotic welding, plasma cutting, and advanced vision related programming.

“Not only will we be able to train our students on state-of-the-art, cutting edge robotic technology, we will be able to expose them to a widest possible range of industrial applications,” said David Tucker, VU vice president, workforce development/community services, in the release. “Those that want more focused training in a specific area, like robotic welding, will also have that opportunity.”

Kirk Goins, senior vice president, ABB Robotics Division, North America, said he too pleased with this alliance as it allows the company to be a part of one of the top industrial education institutions in the country. He also hopes this will help the company to establish similar relationships in other regions.

The ICAT reportedly is ABB’s third authorized training center in the U.S., joining the headquarters location in Auburn Hills, Michigan and an auxiliary facility in Birmingham, Ala.

Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for RobotXworld. To read more of Anuradha’s article, please visit her columnist page.